Mungomo named State House spokesperson

By Lucy Liponda

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has appointed Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) radio presenter Albert Mungomo as State House press officer, Malawi Digest understands.

The appointment of Mungomo is with immediate effect.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Malawi Digest last night soon after an announcement of his appointment was made Mungomo described his new job as a call to duty.

“I feel greatly honoured, privileged that it pleased the State President to appoint me in this capacity, it’s a new call for me to national duty,” said the eloquent Mungomo.

Mungomo, is one of the best announcers at MBC with some juicy sense of humour said that his main task would be to build a close working relationship with the media in Malawi.

With his appointment into State House as Press Officer, a lot of MBC listeners with miss on radio the voice of the man who is popularly known in Malawi as ‘Mr Blantyre’.

He was popular as one of the good presenters for the morning breakfast programme on MBC named, ‘Mwadzuka Bwanji’.

“There must be a good rapport between the State House and almost all media houses in the country,” he said.

On whether he was expecting to be appointed Mutharika’s spokesperson, Mungomo described it as a big surprise.

“I never expected this. It came to me as a shock that the State President decided to give me this pleasant surprise for the New Year by giving me this important job. It’s a great honour for me,” he said.

Albert Mungomo, replaces Mutharika’s longest serving Press Officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi who is now Director of Information in the Ministry of Information and Civic Education-Malawi Digest.

Dr Mutharika flies to Mozambique

By Frank Malemia

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has this morning left the country for the neighbouring Mozambique where he is to attend the inauguration of that country’s President Almando Emilio Guebuza.

Guebuza will be sworn in for his second term of office after his landslide victory in recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Dr Mutharika, flew out of Malawi through the Kamuzu International Airport in the Presidential Jet.

He was seen off at the airport by Vice President Joyce Banda, Chief Secretary Bright Msaka, Police Inspector Peter Mukhitho, Army Commander Marko Chidziko, the president’s brother and Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor Peter Mutharika and many other senior cabinet ministers, members of Parliament and other senior government officials.

The State President inspected the Presidential guard of honour before speaking to members of the press who swarmed the airport to hear about the president’s trip to Mozambique.

“Malawi and Mozambique are long time neighbours and in African culture, neighbours are supposed to be together in times of sorrow and happiness,” he said.

Dr Mutharika disclosed that after President Guebuza’s attendance of his inaugural ceremony at Kamuzu Stadium in May last year, it was only natural and proper to attend a similar function for his Mozambican counterpart.

He said the people from the two countries have a lot in common.

“Be it culture, language and geographical positions, we have a lot in common, the ruling DPP had an election landslide victory here so had Frelimo done in Mozambique so we have a lot in common,” he said.

The ruling Frelimo party won the recent elections with 75 per cent of the vote.

Frelimo, started ruling Mozambique from independence in 1975 and has had three Presidents in the late Samora Marchel, Joachium Chissano and the incumbent Almando Guebuza.

President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika is expected back home in Malawi later on today-Malawi Digest.

Burial for Chitsamba DPP MP takes place

Gone too soon, the youthful late Hastings Chitsamba RIP. Pic by Malawi Digest.

By Emmanuel Sobilika

Burial for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party legislator Hastings Patros Chitsamba has taken place in his home village of Dowa.

The burial of the fallen MP took place on Wednesday at his ancestral home, Mtimaukanena Village in Traditional Authority Mkukula in the central region district of Dowa.

The 36-year old Chitsamba, died on Monday evening in a road accident that happened on the M1.

His Toyota Prado, registration number BQ 1374 is reported to have lost control at around 11 pm on Monday near the Walkers Filling Station at Biwi.

The vehicle, according Central Region Police spokesperson John Namalenga is said to have swerved before it overturned several times.

“Two other passengers who were with the honourable MP in the vehicle sustained various injuries but the MP died afterwards in hospital as a result of the impact in the accident,” said Namalenga.

Speaker of the National Assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda described the death of the youthful MP as a blow to the National Assembly.

“He was one of the new breed of MPs in the house who have been contributing positively to deliberations in the House,” said Chimunthu Banda.

He described his death as great loss to the nation.

The late Dowa South East legislator was elected as Member of Parliament for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in the May 19th Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

The late Chitsamba has left behind a wife and three children, a boy and a two girls-Malawi Digest.

Ruling DPP MP wins late Chafukira’s seat

By Emmanuel Sobilika

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has overwhelmingly won the Lilongwe North West with Fredrick Kamwangala as it’s new Member of Parliament.

Kamwangala, beat three other contestants in Zelesi Gomani independent, Robert Bondo of the opposition Malawi Congress Party of John Tembo and Selemani Jeremiah.

According to election results released by independent Malawi Electoral Commission, Kamwangala got 11, 558 votes with Gomani following way behind with 2,952, Bondo in third position with 2, 758 and Jeremiah in forth position with 653 votes.

The opposition UDF party chickened out of this contest as they failed to have a candidate in this by-election.

This is a sweetie victory for the ruling DPP after the death of late Ishmael Chafukira who died under mysterious circumstances in South Africa late last year.

This was Bondo’s second loss in a Parliamentary election within a period of 10 months.

He lost in his own seat in the May 19th election before John Tembo of the MCP decided to impose him on the people in Lilongwe North West in these 12th January by-elections.

In a related development, the opposition United Democratic Front of Friday Jumbe has returned the Machinga South East seat in by-elections held on the same day.

According the Malawi Electoral Commission, the seat has been won by Donnex Mpuzeni of UDF with 8,796 followed by Heston Beston Mleme of the ruling DPP with 7,043 votes, Monfort Misunje independent 2, 594, Yohane Khomoli 965 and Adamu Chikapa came last with 712.

The Machinga South East seat fell vacant after the previous MP Reverend Wilson Ndomondo was thrown out of Parliament for contesting in an election when he was a convict-Malawi Digest.

Zambia, a true friend indeed

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika this week received on behalf of earth quake victims relief items and a cash donation of US$20,000.00 from the Republic Of Zambia.

The northern region of Malawi has experiencied a series of earth tremors that have displaced thousands of people mainly in the lake side district of Karonga.

The pictures above show State President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika receiving a cheque for the cash donation and some of the relief items from the Zambian High Commissioner to Malawi at a function held at the New State House in administrative capital, Lilongwe.

Tough Flames punishes Algeria in 2010 CAN

Flames players celebrate one of their three goals against Algeria. Pic by Rebecca Blackwell-Associated Press.

Malawi making their first Cup appearance for 26 years and only their second overall, stunned England's World Cup group opponents Algeria 3-0 in their opening Group A match.

Russel Mwafulirwa gave the outsiders a 17th-minute lead when he took advantage of slapstick defending and Elvis Kafoteka headed a second before the break in a near-deserted November 11 Stadium.

Davi Banda scored early in the second half to complete Malawi's first ever win at the tournament and send them top of Group A, ahead of the hosts Angola and Mali whose tournament opener ended in a 4-4 draw yesterday.

Malawi, who took one point from three games on their debut appearance in 1984 when their results included a 3-0 defeat by Algeria, were not expected to do much better this time around with an apparently lightweight squad.

But with nine Europe-based players in their starting line-up and the game kicking off in mid-afternoon, Algeria struggled in the stifling heat and made life even more difficult for themselves by gifting Malawi the opener.

The goalkeeper, Faouzi Chaouchi, and the Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra collided as they tried to clear a pass that was played into the Algeria penalty box and the ball ran to Mwafulirwa who put the ball into an empty net.

Algeria's best chance came shortly afterwards when Rafik Saifi broke clear of the offside trap but lobbed the ball over the bar. Malawi increased their lead in the 36th minute when Moses Chavula crossed from the left and Kafoteka headed home.

Three minutes after the break, the dangerous Mwafulirwa drilled a shot against the post but the Algeria defence failed to clear and the ball fell to Banda who scored with a low shot-The Guardian (UK).

Malawi! Malawi!Flames humble giant Algeria

By Emmanuel Sobilika

There are wild celebrations in all of Malawi’s main urban centers following Malawi national football team’s sweet victory against Algeria in the Angolan capital, Luanda this afternoon.

The Flames humbled their opponents in their opening Group A encounter 0-3 and are now on top of their group ahead of the hosts Angola, Mali and the bottom team, Algeria.

The African champions, Egypt who played the Flames in a friendly international two weeks ago, appealed to the southern Africa nation to beat their northern Africa archrivals.

In the last two international friendlies the Flames have played against Egypt and Ghana, the Malawians held the two African giants to a draw.

Malawi now play the hosts Angola on Thursday-Malawi Digest.